


Lost and Ultimately Stuck

by babybluewillow



Category: Life Is Strange 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bisexual Male Character, California, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Angst, Forests, Gay Character, Gay Male Character, Gay Pride, Homelessness, Loneliness, M/M, Running Away, Sweet, Wolf Pack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:08:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22312252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babybluewillow/pseuds/babybluewillow
Summary: Sean thought he had found a home with the crew in  California, but he begins to think otherwise. But in his heart, he will always have a place for Finn.Please please PLEASE leave comments! Any suggestions are greatly appreciated :)
Relationships: Cassidy/Sean Diaz/Finn, Daniel Diaz (Life is Strange)/Original Character(s), Sean Diaz & Finn, Sean Diaz/Everyone, Sean Diaz/Finn, Sean Diaz/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 35





	1. Pulled Down

The air surrounding the woods was quiet on this particular night. Usually, voices and laughter were audible, particularly from those who surrounded the campfire. These voices could even be heard from the lake, and Sean was surprised that no one had discovered their camp yet.

The air surrounding the woods was quiet on this particular night, the only sound being the faint melody of the wind rustling through the leaves.

Sean was returning from his nightly walk to the lake; he often used this time to clear his head. Between working on the farm, living with the crew, and caring for Daniel, Sean never got time to himself.

He cherished this brief time that he got to be alone, believing it truly relaxed his mind, which was constantly being paralyzed by thoughts about his current situation.

The sun had set almost two hours ago, leaving the sky littered with shades of navy and dark grey, the presence of clouds darkening the sky even further. Sean’s walk on this night had lasted way longer than anticipated; but he wasn't in a hurry to return, taking his time with each step.

Sean's backpack strap began to slowly slide off his shoulder as he walked, and he helplessly swung his backpack back into place. His backpack was the same one he had used in high school, and his mind hopelessly wandered back to his time in high school with Lyla.

He missed having someone to confide in, missed having someone in his life who wasn’t dependent on him. But what Sean missed the most was having someone that was willing to absorb his darkest thoughts without judgement.

Man, he missed Lyla so much. She had always been a joking character, always teasing the Sean about _something_ , especially about the way he wore his backpack.

The young girl's cheery voice softly trailed through the trees surrounding him.

“Sean, you’re _so_ ridiculous. If you actually wore your backpack like you’re _supposed to_ , the strap wouldn’t fall off your shoulder all the damn time.”

He felt the warmth of Lyla’s hand grab the other strap, which hung loosely at his back, and place it over his shoulder.

The warmth allowed Sean to relax and finally breathe, releasing his melancholy thoughts into the air.

And then suddenly, the sensation was gone, and his mind was drawn back into reality.

While Sean had been lost in thought, he had slid his own arm through the other strap, securing his backpack tightly against him. 

He often carried his old backpack to the lake, packed with the “essentials”: his sketchbook, a couple cans of beer, his father’s lighter, among other objects. He enjoyed drinking a beer while drawing at the lake, he swore it helped get his mind in a more creative state. 

As Sean approached the camp, a voice called out to him, echoing through the trees. He squinted his eyes toward the campfire, looking for the voice.

Sean wasn't sure who had called out to him, but continued walking towards the group regardless. As he drew closer, he was met with the image of familiar faces: Penny, Hannah, Cassidy, Finn, and Daniel all surrounded the campfire, their faces glowing orange from the fire’s light.

“Hey, what’s up guys?” Sean called back, lifting his hand in a half-assed wave as he approached.

“Sit down Sean!” Cassidy warmly greeted him, her eyes trailing up to the boy’s face as she patted the spot next to her. Cassidy paused before speaking again, waiting for Sean to sit, but he didn't, his eyes and mind clearly somewhere else.

“I see my city boy is liking it out here in the woods after all,” Cassidy murmured softly, now drawing Sean's attention back to the moment. She flashed the boy a small smile, the corners of her mouth curving up, signaling a flicker of concern.

“You’ve been gone for quite some time, you missed dinner! But don’t worry, we made sure Daniel left you some food,” Cassidy teased, her voice causing momentary ripples in the fire. The girl couldn't reach Sean's arm from her sitting position, so she reached out, lightly punching Sean’s thigh.

“Sorry, I didn't think I was gonna be gone that long,” Sean reconciled as he finally sat down, taking his usual spot between Cass and Finn, his backpack still secured to his back.

“I just went for my walk, and you know.. I started drawing and lost track of time.”

Sean knew this wasn’t true, but he didn’t want to burden his new friends with his intense feelings. He also knew, with the way his voice grew soft as he spoke, that he was an _awful_ liar.

In an attempt to make up for his lie, Sean turned his head towards Cassidy, giving her a weak smile. Cassidy returned the gesture back to Sean, conveying to him that she wasn’t convinced, but she didn't speak again.

As a way of showing his understanding, Finn handed Sean a cold beer, his other hand rubbing over Sean's back as he did so. Even through his hoodie, Sean felt the heat radiating from the other boy's hand, and he wondered if Finn’s warmth would also be ripped away too, just as the memory of Lyla was just moments earlier.

As soon as this thought entered the boy's mind, Finn’s hand slowly retracted from his back and returned to his side.

“S'okay sweetie. I could get lost out 'ere too,” Finn commented, propping his elbow on his knee as he pointed towards the direction of the lake.

Daniel, who was perched on a log across from Sean, butted into the conversation.

“Sean is _always_ lost. He’s _never_ knows where we are. I don’t even know how we found you guys,” Daniel remarked, smirking as he made this statement. His eyes trailed over to Sean, trying to withdraw a reaction, positive or negative, out of his brother. 

Daniel, as most brothers do, loved to mess with Sean, and it typically didn’t bother the other boy. On any other night, Sean would have simply shrugged or laughed off Daniel’s accusations, but tonight, Sean was too tired to do either of these. Sean didn't even bother to react, simply taking a swig of his beer.

“That’s not what I meant little man,” Finn interjected, a smile spreading across his face at Daniel’s misunderstanding of the conversation. Finn had meant that he could get lost in the beauty of the nature surrounding them, noticing that Sean did this often anyway. Sean hadn't directly told Finn this, but he could tell just by looking at the other. The younger boy was always spaced out, his gaze somewhere else.

Sean sighed, attempting to contain his irritation at Daniel’s commentary. His sigh had been quiet enough for the others to remain unaware, but he still felt Finn’s gaze fall on him. The air became silent for a moment, and the intensity of the crackling fire suddenly seemed louder and brighter.

Sean took another swig from his beer, then placed it between his legs, his knees holding it steady on the log's uneven surface.

“Oh. I knew that,” Daniel responded confidently, sitting up a little straighter, trying to demonstrate his confidence to the group.

Cassidy turned her attention to the younger Diaz brother.

“So how’s training going for your _super awesome_ power Daniel? Have you been on any special missions lately?”

Daniel sat up even straighter, if that was even possible, at the mention of his power.

Throughout their time on the road, Sean began to take notice of Daniel’s excitement any time his power was mentioned. Maybe this was because Daniel was forbidden from sharing his power, but in their current situation, it was impossible to hide it from the crew.

Maybe Daniel was simply excited to confide his secrets in someone other than Sean; maybe the Diaz brothers weren’t so different after all.

“Oh yes! Although, it’s not the same without Chris. I miss him a lot. I’ve been practicing at the lake,” Daniel’s voice trailed off for a moment, as if he had just made a confession and was awaiting judgement.

The speed of Daniel’s voice quickened as he resumed speaking, knowing that the group, _especially_ Sean, was worried about the boy using his powers in broad daylight.

“I’ve been careful though. I don’t think anybody’s seen me. Promise,” Daniel finished, his hands fidgeting in his lap while he waited for affirmation from the group.

Daniel’s voice was piercing to Sean's ears, the mere volume of his brother's voice causing him to grimace in pain. Sean's head was beginning to throb, he assumed it was from the combination of Daniel’s volume and the gravity of his own thoughts.

“As long as nobody sees you, my lil' friend, you’re golden,” Finn answered nonchalantly, taking a sip of his own beer. Finn was a natural leader, often speaking up for the rest of the group in situations like these.

At times, Sean envied Finn, for the other boy didn’t have to care or worry about Daniel like Sean did. No matter what happened, Finn had the ability to walk away from the Diaz brothers' situation, and Sean was stuck. Stuck making the difficult decisions for both of them, stuck running towards Mexico, and stuck being responsible for Daniel.

Stuck.

“You guys want to see a trick?” Daniel boomed, and the crew nodded, showing just as much excitement as Daniel felt.

Daniel, still sitting across from Sean, raised his hand, his fingers curling slowly towards his palm. Sean closed his eyes, hunching over so that his forehead rested against his hand. Daniel’s power was a phenomenon, but Sean wasn’t interested in his brother’s power at the moment. Right now, Sean couldn’t focus on anything other than the throbbing pain in his head.

Even though Sean had closed his eyes, he sensed that Finn was watching him. Sean didn't need to see the other boy's expression, for he already knew exactly what his face would look like: his forehead would be slightly creased, his eyebrows furrowed together in concern.

Sean felt a vibration between his legs, that began very softly and was quickly growing in intensity. He knew Finn’s gaze made him nervous, but never imagined his body would react like this in public. Sean squeezed his legs together, embarrassed by his bodily reaction, blinking open his eyes in surprise and horror at himself.

Sean then realized that his body wasn’t the source of this sensation; the can that he had placed between his legs was now shaking. The sound of straining metal met Sean’s ears as he warned his younger brother to stop. Before Sean could react any further, the beer in his can sprayed straight up into his eyes.

Sean immediately squeezed his eyes shut, but the alcohol had already come into contact with his eyes. He blindly slapped the can out from between his legs, the can smacking the dirt dryly, the volume of his own voice now overpowering all other noises around him.

“REALLY DANIEL?! YOU THINK YOU’RE SO FUCKING FUNNY! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” Sean yelled out in the direction of his younger brother. He felt drops of beer trailing down his face and he quickly wiped them away with the sleeve of his hoodie. Laughter traveled into his ears, and Sean snapped his eyes open, not caring about the burning sensation any longer. He was met with the blurred image of Daniel and the rest of the crew laughing.

“Now I smell like beer,” Sean muttered, mostly to himself, while pulling his sweatshirt over his head. He tossed his soaked hoodie into the dirt in front of him carelessly, his rage overtaking his actions.

A familiar accent, attempting to lighten the mood, filled Sean’s ears.

“Well _I_ think you smell great honey,” Finn declared, stifling his laughter as he finished his thought.

Sean, suddenly angered by the other boy’s constant joking attitude, quickly rose to his feet. His head instantly felt light from the sudden movement, causing him to sway and almost fall backwards onto the log beneath him.

Sean heard a gentle iteration of his name, followed by the sensation of fingers tightening around his wrist, attempting to stabilize him. From the roughness and warmth of the other's skin, Sean instantly knew those fingers belonged to Finn. The other boy had been attempting to prevent Sean from falling, but instead had almost pulled Sean back down.

Sean was so tired of being pulled down and being humiliated, especially by his obnoxious little brother. Finn was supposed to be the leader of the group, and he didn't even reprimand Daniel for his actions, all he had done was make yet another joke about Sean's humiliation.

Sean’s face grew hot as the anger continued to boil up inside him, heat throbbing aggressively against his temples.

“Fuck _off_ Finn,” Sean hissed, his fingers curling tightly into his palm underneath the other boy's grip. Sean's voice was no longer soft, it was now firm in tone and loud enough that it echoed into the night air. All other voices immediately stopped laughing, the grip on Sean's wrist loosening, Finn’s warmth fading away. Through blurred vision, he also saw the other boy's smile melt away. 

Sean quickly turned away from the other, his hoodie being pressed further into the dirt beneath his feet as he quickly walked towards the lake.

He rubbed his eyes frantically; his vision seemed to be returning back to him. The whispering voices of Cassidy, Finn, and the rest of the crew were fading as Sean’s pace quickened. He was almost at a full jog now, his legs beginning to become numb from the sudden activity.

Sean's attention was brought back to the stinging sensation in his eyes, but the tears that now began to flood his vision provided him with some greatly needed relief.

And he was stuck, yet again, in his feelings of sadness and betrayal.


	2. Transparent

Seeing the lake come into view, Sean slowed his pace, his chest heaving. The beating of his heart was now in sync and just as powerful as the throb in his head, and he stumbled, falling onto his knees in front of the water.

Without the protection of his hood, the burning in Sean’s cheeks became even more noticeable. He couldn’t tell if his face was burning from his outburst or if it was from the exposure to the frigid night air. Either way, Sean still felt as if he needed to cool down.

He dipped his hands into the lake, sending ripples throughout the surrounding water. His eyelids fluttered closed, and he let the nearby air expand into his stomach and lungs. He allowed himself to feel every sensation. Sean's hands were becoming numb, goosebumps forming on his bare arms as the wind brushed against him.

He reopened his eyes as he scooped water into his palms. Sean, his face wavering above the water, splashed some on his burning neck and cheeks. He was beginning to feel calmer, but now feelings of embarrassment began clawing at his mind.

He scooped more water into his hands, but this time, he simply watched how it spilled from the sides of his palms. The water in his hands mirrored the reflection of the black sky, but he was still able to see his own skin underneath.

Sean wished he was as transparent as the water that slowly spilled from his palms. If he had told the group about how he was feeling, maybe he wouldn’t have exploded into a rage. Maybe if Sean’s words had mirrored his darkest thoughts, the group would have responded differently to his outrage.

The embarrassment Sean was feeling was beginning to overtake him. He couldn’t return to camp, at least not tonight. He was confident that the crew would ensure Daniel’s safety, so he decided it was best that he stayed away for the night. He couldn’t even imagine how Daniel would react to his brother’s return. He was supposed to be the big brother, but he suddenly felt very small.

Sean got back to his feet, wiping his dripping hands onto his pants. Without any camping equipment, he would either have to sleep on the ground or in a tree. He considered this carefully. Although sleeping on the ground might arguably be more comfortable, sleeping in a tree was likely the safest option. This way, he wouldn’t be vulnerable to predators roaming the forest floor.

Sean’s mind shot back to his time in the Washington mountains with his brother. Daniel, his face wrinkled with concern, stared at the sign in front of him. Without realizing Sean’s presence at his side, he began to read the words on it. His voice was soft as he pronounced each syllable carefully, as if he was still learning to read.

“Do not… feed or disturb the _animals_?”

Sean, a sly smirk growing on his face, placed his hand on Daniel’s shoulder, causing him to jump.

“Oh yeah man. There’s _all kinds_ of animals out here. Bears, coyotes, wolves…bigfoot. Anything with claws and fangs really.”

A smile spread across Sean’s face as he finished his sentence, trying to contain his laughter. He was even an awful liar back then.

Daniel spun around at the sound of leaves rustling in the bush behind him, failing to see his brother’s smile.

“Really?” Daniel muttered weakly, turning his head nervously back to Sean.

“I’m _kidding_ Daniel. Don’t worry about it,” Sean soothed, now feeling slightly guilty for scaring his little brother. He tousled his brother's hair, which they both understood was Sean’s silent way of apologizing. Daniel glared up at him, playfully slapping his brother’s hand away.

Sean’s mind was snapped back by the sound of a branch cracking in the brush near him. Fear suddenly struck his chest, and he imagined this is how Daniel felt in that moment. Sean paused, unsure if he should continue moving. He was secretly hoping that someone had followed him to ensure that he was okay.

The air fell silent again, and he decided that he should resume with his plan instead of waiting for more sounds to startle him.

He approached a redwood tree, which was the main type of tree that inhabited these woods. Sean admired the strength of the redwood; it never failed to stand confidently amongst all other forest brush.

Sean grasped the nearest branch, the rugged texture of the wood scraped along his skin as he hoisted himself up.

Once he settled himself on the sturdiest branch, he struggled to roll up his pants and examined his knees, which must have made contact with the other branches. His knees were stinging, and as Sean inspected them even closer, he realized he had scratches on the surface of his skin.

He then turned over his hands, being met with similar scratches. He quickly tried to brush the debris off of his skin, in case it would cause an infection. That was the last thing he needed right now.

Sean rested his head against the tree’s base behind him, letting his legs fall to either side of the branch. The wood scratched into the back of his head, and he repositioned himself to the most comfortable position he could.

This night was still quiet. Listening to the soft wind shaking the leaves around him, Sean allowed his eyelids to slowly fall closed and eventually drifted off to sleep.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

An abrupt flashing of light invaded Sean’s eyelids, jolting him out of sleep. He looked around frantically for the source, his heart thumping against his chest.

Had Daniel wandered into the woods to find him?

“Sean, s'that you?”

Sean held his forearm over his eyes, blocking the light that was blinding him. The light was suddenly redirected away from his face, and Sean lowered his arm. He squinted his eyes, attempting to see through the sudden and complete darkness.

He wondered how long he had slept. Had he only slept an hour? Or did he sleep long enough for it to be the next night?

His eyes finally began to focus, and a blurred image of a pierced face and long dreads came into view.

“Finn?” Sean called out, knowing all too well that it was Finn. He was unsure of why he questioned the image his eyes provided him. Maybe because Sean believed bitterness would have overtaken the other boy after his outburst.

“Yeah dude. It’s me,” Finn paused, as if he was thinking, “Who _else_ do you know with a tatted-up face and dreads? I got some competition now or somethin'?"

Finn chuckled at the end of his question, and in hearing no response, he continued.

"Well, that guy o' gal better watch out, ain't no one takin' my lil' Sean 'way from me."

Sean should have known that Finn’s pause was an indication of his mind devising a smartass comment. Finn was always being possessive of Sean, and he wasn't exactly sure why, for they were only friends. However, Sean had always felt a bubbling in his stomach when the other had acted this way. Was this because he admired Finn's outgoing and fearless attitude, or was he developing a crush?

Finn, taking notice of Sean’s silence, spoke again.

“Well, you gonna stay up 'ere all night or what?”

The flashlight, which had fallen to Finn’s side, now rose back to Sean's face, blinding him yet again. He hesitantly swung one of his legs over the branch so that he was now facing the other boy.

“Uh-” Sean stammered, his arms slightly trembling.

_Get a grip Sean._

“No, I’m coming down,” Sean finally stated, his voice growing timid as he spoke, suddenly anxious that the redwood branch would collapse under his weight.

Sean shuffled around until his back was facing Finn, then getting into a squatting position, he tightened his hands around the branch. He grimaced as he felt the wood scrape against his hands again; it was causing new scrapes to form, as well as reopening the old ones. 

He slowly released one leg behind him, and then the other, allowing his body to hang loosely from the redwood branch. Sean wasn’t aware of how high he had climbed, and in glancing down, realized he was higher than he originally thought. He considered just releasing his grip and allowing himself to fall to the ground, risking injury to his ankles. After the way he had treated Finn, he felt as if he deserved it.

As this thought crossed his mind, Sean felt the warmth of Finn’s hands grasping his waist, as if the other boy had subconsciously understood his thoughts. 

Sean’s shirt had ridden up, leaving his stomach and lower back exposed to the chilling breeze. He hadn’t even noticed how cold his body was until he felt the other boy’s fingers pressed against his skin. Sean’s body naturally flinched from the other’s touch; skin-to-skin contact was unusual and unfamiliar to him.

Instead of releasing his grip, Finn's fingers gently squeezed Sean's waist, silently communicating that he was safe in the boy's hands.

Sean slowly released his grip from the branch, allowing a deep breath to leave him as Finn lowered him to the ground. Once his feet had touched the forest floor, Finn’s hands withdrew from his waist, and Sean immediately desired the warmth of the other’s hands to return to his body.


	3. Looking Too Closely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The name of this chapter came from a song I've been listening to recently! I felt the title was appropriate due to the closeness Sean and Finn experience in this chapter.
> 
> It's a beautiful song, and highly recommend you listen to it!
> 
> Looking Too Closely by Fink:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoWRs7lXtYE

Still facing away from Finn, Sean rubbed the back of his neck. This had become a nervous habit of his, but was also a response to the pain now flaring up in his neck. The tension in his body had spread drastically, which he now realized was a result of sleeping in the redwood tree.

A rapid flash of light caught Sean’s attention, and he noticed a warm sensation building on the back of his neck. The light flooded over his shoulders, partially illuminating the forest in front of him.

_What was Finn looking at?_

Sean, slightly creasing his forehead in confusion, began to rotate his body towards the other boy.

Finn's hand, however, firmly pushed against the back of the Sean's shoulder, forcing his body to return to its previous position. The warmth of the flashlight immediately returned to the younger boy's skin.

The air continued to remain silent, and Sean wondered whether his body or the air was holding more tension. Sean realized he was holding his breath, and strained to hear whether Finn was breathing. Strangely, he didn’t hear anything.

With Finn’s hand now resting on his shoulder, Sean felt the other boy’s weight shift forward, finally being able to hear a shallow breath escape the other's lips. Finn's warm breath trailed down his neck, causing goosebumps to spread across his skin.

Finn was now leaning forward, attempting to closely inspect the back of his neck, his hand sliding from the boy's shoulder to the crook of his neck. Finn delicately dragged his thumb across the surface of Sean's skin, causing the younger boy's face to flush with warmth.

_Why am I blushing?_

“Sean,” Finn’s voice was abnormally gentle against the boy's ear, dragging his attention back, “Is that blood?”

Finn’s hand moved to the outside of Sean’s bicep, guiding the other boy's body to rotate towards him.

“Lemme see,” Finn murmured, motioning towards Sean’s hands. The words themselves were demanding, but the tone of Finn’s voice suggested that it was only a request. Finn extended his own hand, and the other hesitantly placed his wrist, facing up, into Finn's hand.

The burning in Sean’s face was becoming more vibrant, and he imagined it was brighter than the flashlight that now hovered over his hand. Finn gently tightened his grip as he pulled Sean’s wrist closer to him, as if he was afraid that the other would pull away.

Sean followed the other boy's gaze, also analyzing the damage that had occurred to his hand, beads of blood still building on the surface of his skin. Sean’s breath hitched as the breeze brushed over his hand, the stinging sensation quickly returning.

“What the _hell_ happened dude?” Finn asked curiously, his eyes now trailing up to meet the other boy's. Sean had never studied Finn’s eyes this closely before. They were stained a rich shade of blue, accompanied by streaks of silver that were painted along the outside of his irises.

Finn tilted his head slightly, raising his eyebrow, causing Sean to remember that he still hadn’t answered the other boy's question.

Sean struggled to force out the words inhabiting his throat. There was no way Finn hadn’t noticed his blushing now. He hoped that the other had simply disregarded it as pure embarrassment.

“It was just- I was climbing the tree and the bark- is not as smooth as it looks,” Sean finally responded, giving a sheepish grin as he slightly shrugged.

“Well-” Finn paused yet again, stroking his chin as if he was thinking.

_Here comes the smartass comment._

“Lucky for you,” Finn continued, “I happen to know a great deal ‘bout herbal medicine. Livin’ out 'ere will actually teach ya some shit.”

Finn glanced at Sean’s hand one more time before loosening his grip. However, he didn't pull away, his palm gently cradling Sean's hand. 

“I got sometin' back at camp that’ll help ya,” Finn added, his eyes scrunching up as he flashed the other boy a smile.

Sean shifted his weight nervously between each leg, and as Finn fully released his grip, he allowed his hand to fall back to his side. Right now, the last thing he wanted to do was return to camp. Sean was intensely wishing that Finn wouldn’t ask him to come with, and to his relief, the other boy didn’t. A sigh escaped him, relaxed now that the other had silently agreed to collect what he needed and return.

Finn, taking a step back, gestured at the tree towering above them.

“And don’t you e'en _think_ ‘bout climbin’ that tree 'gain while I’m gone,” Finn remarked, his voice strangely carrying a serious tone. Maybe this was Finn's way of showing that he was internally upset with Sean. He shook away the thought, concluding that the other was likely messing with him.

“You should’ve stopped me before I even got up there,” Sean joked in return as the other boy brushed past him to return to camp. 

“How'd you even find me?” Sean blurted out, his mouth slightly parted in embarrassment as he realized he had expressed this thought aloud.

“Like I said when we were throwin' knives, you didn’t inherit them ninja genes.” Finn drawled, spinning around on his heel playfully, throwing his hands away from his body.

Oddly, warmth expanded into Sean’s chest as his lips stretched to form a smile. It was true that Finn’s joking attitude had assisted in fueling Sean’s outburst, but this time, he felt it was vital to ease his thoughts.

Sean observed Finn as he hiked back towards camp, admiring how his shoulders and arms swayed loosely as he walked. Despite Sean’s hurtful words, the other maintained his relaxed demeanor; maybe he wasn’t upset after all. 

Finn, turning his head to glance back, gave him a lighthearted salute. The boy's lips were moving, but the sound didn’t register to Sean's ears until he had already turned away.

“Love ya man.”

The words rang in his ears, and he hoped he would hear it again soon.


End file.
